Review of Game Night (2018) by Kevin P — 25 Feb 2018

Strengths: Game Night was the most fun I've had at the movie theater in a really long time. Right off the bat, the concept is an intriguing one, but one that was susceptible to clichés. Thankfully, the film avoided them. Often, when a film has this many characters and pairings, at least one will lack something. However, it didn't matter who was on screen when everyone was separated. It was all entertaining. Things were at their best when everyone was together, though. The cast is brilliant. Jason Bateman (Max) is hit or miss for me, but he was very good here. Rachel McAdams (Annie) gave her funniest performance since Mean Girls, while the budding relationship between Ryan (Billy Magnussen) and Sarah (Sharon Horgan) was endearing, even though I was unfamiliar with both actors. Lamorne Morris (Kevin) and Kylie Bunbury (Michelle) had the best side story, as Kevin tried to figure out what celebrity his wife once slept with. The end result made for a really funny moment. The show stealer is Jesse Plemons (Gary). Everything he said or did was hilariously awkward. I loved how many fantastic twists and turns the story took. There were so many great, unexpected moments that kept you at the edge of your seat. The script was great, with some great dark comedy and dialogue. There's also an awesome surprise cameo of the actor who plays the Bulgarian, but I won't give that away here.

Weaknesses: A few things seem very far-fetched. Granted, I know a lot of comedy is about over exaggerating, but it did go far in several places. A few of the laughs were also ruined for me by putting way too much into the trailers. I do wish we got a bit more from Kyle Chandler (Brooks), because he's great and felt a bit underutilized.

Overall: If you're looking to have a damn good time, this is the movie for you. The game night with friends is relatable, the twists will keep you engaged, and everything is flat out hilarious. An absolute blast.